CONJUNCTIVA IN HEALTH AND DISEASE in 
Experiment 3. — Two rabbits were taken whose conjunctivae were in a condition 
of chronic inflammation. 
One loopful of bacillus coli was inoculated into each of the tour eyes, 
and cultures were made on successive days. A growth of the bacillus was 
obtained up to the ninth day in two cases, and to the tenth and thirteenth 
in the remaining cases. 
In one case, for the first four days, the organism occurred in gradually 
decreasing numbers, but on the filth day there was a sudden increase ; 
from this time there was again a decreasing number of colonies obtained, 
when on the tenth day there was a still further increase. On the thirteenth 
day and subsequently no colonies were obtained. 
In another case there was no increase in the number of bacilli removed 
until the ninth day. In all the eyes the period during which the inoculated 
organism could be recovered was prolonged as compared with that observed 
in the case of the normal eyes. 
These experiments show not only that organisms remain for a longer time in 
the diseased conjunctival sac than in the healthy, but also that organisms are capable 
of living and multiplying in the folds of the hypertrophied mucous membrane. 
Pathogenesis 
A number of experiments with the organisms isolated has been performed on 
animals. 
It was not thought necessary to extend the experiments to every one of the 
common saprophytes of the air and to those bacteria which manifestly could have 
neither an effect in producing or continuing an inflammation. 
Experiments were first performed on the conjunctiva of guinea-pigs, kittens, 
and rabbits, but the small size of guinea-pigs' conjunctival sacs and the unsuitability 
of kittens caused these animals to be rejected in favour of rabbits. 
The rabbit possesses many advantages over other animals ; the upper lid can 
with the greatest ease be everted and the whole conjunctival membrane exposed ; the 
area of the membrane is considerable ; slight friction with a platinum loop seems to 
cause the animal no inconvenience, and experiments and observations can be made 
with a minimum amount of movement of the subject. 
In addition, the pathogenicity of certain organisms has been tested by 
inoculation in suitable form in guinea-pigs and mice. 
The methods employed have been the same in every instance, and for purposes 
of comparison the amount of material has been the same in each case. 
In the eye experiments the course pursued was as follows : — As early as 
possible after the primary inoculation the organism was subcultivated on agar or on 
